Is Your HVAC System Protected From Power Surges?
A power surge is a brief spike in electricity voltage passing through the line. Household electronics may survive one power surge; however, hard-wired electronics are the first to suffer when a power surge occurs. Heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, and air conditioning units represent a major investment; therefore, just because they may withstand one power surge does not mean they can handle multiple others. All electrical appliances are designed to handle a specific voltage. Homeowners should therefore take reasonable steps to protect their HVAC systems from power surges.
Many different things can cause a power surge, and no home is immune to power surges. Some of the most common causes of power surges include:
• Electrical or lighting storms
• Faulty wiring
• Power outages
• Downed electric power lines
• Power plant maintenance operations
• Faulty electrical components
Power surges are random, and there is no way that one can evade or predict them. However, homeowners can take a few simple steps to protect their comfort systems from expensive damage. One is by securing the whole house at the point at which power is connected. Secondly, one can use a surge protector directly connected to the household appliance in use. Surge protectors work by grounding the additional voltage, thereby protecting the sensitive electronic devices. An HVAC surge protector will shut off the system to protect its electrical components.
Shutting the system down is what saves it from succumbing to the damaging effects of a power surge. Once the system shuts down, it is important to follow the right steps to restart it properly. Each heating and cooling system varies in terms of the booting procedure after a forced shut down. Some systems are easy to handle, but some might need someone with a bit of technological knowledge. The best way to handle a system reboot is to call an experienced and certified service technician for high quality HVAC maintenance.
In summary,as a homeowner you should understand that all homes are subject to spikes and surges; therefore, if you want to protect your home utilities, you need to invest in a good home power surge protection system. Your heating and cooling system is an investment worth protecting.
